Scottish Executive

Concessionary Travel

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been notified of any funding deficits in the operation of the concessionary fares scheme and, if so, what such deficits are, broken down by local authority area.

Nicol Stephen: The information requested is set out in the following table.

  

 
GAE
Allocation
2003-04
(£000)
Provisional
Outturn
2003-04
(£000)
Difference
2003-04
(£000)


Aberdeen, City
3,830
4,160
330


Dundee
3,045
3,153
108


East Ayrshire
2,385
2,651
266


East Dunbartonshire
2,125
2,338
213


East Renfrewshire
1,675
1,870
195


Edinburgh, City
8,076
8,794
718


Falkirk
2,720
2,963
243


Glasgow
10,557
12,838
2,281


Inverclyde
1,637
1,905
268


North Ayrshire
2,700
3,122
422


North Lanarkshire
5,708
6,333
625


Renfrewshire
3,265
3,625
360


South Ayrshire
2,530
2,804
274


South Lanarkshire
5,496
6,070
574


West Dunbartonshire
1,713
1,910
197


West Lothian
2,293
2,331
38


Scotland
59,755
66,867
7,112

Concessionary Travel

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been notified of any funding surpluses in the operation of the concessionary fares scheme and, if so, what such surpluses are, broken down by local authority area.

Nicol Stephen: The information requested is set out in the following table.

  

 
GAE
Allocation
2003-04
(£000)
Provisional
Outturn
2003-04
(£000)
Difference
2003-04
(£000)


Aberdeenshire
3,916
2,394
-1,522


Angus
2,259
1,190
-1,069


Argyll and Bute
2,025
2,012
-13


Clackmannanshire
893
587
-306


Dumfries and Galloway
3,406
1,198
-2,208


East Lothian
1,821
1,248
-573


Eilean Siar
625
438
-187


Fife
6,789
6,461
-328


Highland
4,202
1,905
-2,297


Midlothian
1,453
1,359
-94


Moray
1,689
933
-756


Orkney
406
125
-281


Perth and Kinross
2,970
1,997
-973


Scottish Borders
2,439
1,115
-1,324


Shetland
370
-89
-459


Stirling
1,611
1,091
-520


Scotland
36,874
23,964
-12,910

Concessionary Travel

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4853 by Nicol Stephen on 19 February 2004, whether funds allocated under the concessionary fare scheme are ring-fenced.

Nicol Stephen: The main source of funding for the current concessionary travel schemes is the formula-based grant aided expenditure allocation made to local authorities which are not hypothecated. However, where authorities can demonstrate that there is a shortfall in funding, the Scottish Executive can provide a specific grant to local authorities under section 70 of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001.

Concessionary Travel

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7076 by Nicol Stephen on 2 April 2004, when the results of the consultation into the concessionary fares commitment, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland , will be published

Nicol Stephen: We are currently considering the way forward in implementing the Partnership Agreement commitment for a national free off-peak bus scheme for older people and people with disabilities. The next steps will be announced shortly.

Crime

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of police clear-up rate was for crimes classified as "serious violent crimes" in each year since 1999, as referred to in Building a Better Scotland Spending Proposals 2005-2008 , expressed also as a percentage of all serious violent crimes and broken down by local authority area.

Cathy Jamieson: The information requested is given in the following table.

  Clear up Rates for Serious Crimes of Violence1 Recorded by the Police, by Council Area, 1999 to 2003

  

Council Area
 
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003


Per Cent


Aberdeen City
50
48
51
49
59


Aberdeenshire
68
61
72
62
65


Angus 
93
95
91
96
95


Argyll and Bute 
84
84
78
71
74


Clackmannanshire 
89
89
95
95
99


Dumfries and Galloway
84
87
86
81
74


Dundee City 
78
74
71
80
94


East Ayrshire 
68
70
66
71
79


East Dunbartonshire 
66
59
59
66
57


East Lothian
73
81
78
76
69


East Renfrewshire 
60
58
51
48
58


Edinburgh, City of
53
58
55
54
56


Eilean Siar 
100
100
100
89
100


Falkirk
88
89
92
90
93


Fife
78
73
74
72
75


Glasgow City 
47
46
44
41
42


Highland
89
90
90
92
89


Inverclyde
60
53
71
57
60


Midlothian
73
73
85
73
66


Moray
77
64
82
81
74


North Ayrshire
66
60
64
61
72


North Lanarkshire 
65
62
66
68
67


Orkney Islands
100
100
87
78
100


Perth and Kinross 
86
93
82
81
95


Renfrewshire 
52
49
51
50
49


Scottish Borders
87
92
92
94
88


Shetland Islands
100
96
100
100
88


South Ayrshire
77
80
67
78
79


South Lanarkshire 
57
56
54
50
52


Stirling
85
86
91
90
94


West Dunbartonshire 
62
61
63
60
54


West Lothian
68
71
70
65
63


Scotland
60
60
60
58
60



  Note: 1. Serious violent crimes are those recorded as serious assault (including murder and culpable homicide), robbery, all other non–sexual crimes of violence (except abortion, possession of a firearm, drugging or chemical weapon offences), homosexual acts, attempts to commit unnatural crimes, rape and attempted rape. Under the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995 it is an offence to commit, or be party to the commission of, a homosexual act if it is not in private, non consensual or with a person under 16 (irrespective of consent). Such crimes are included in the statistics as "homosexual acts". Under common law, non consensual intercourse with a man or boy can constitute "indecent assault" and/or sodomy (the latter also included in the statistics as "homosexual acts") depending upon the circumstances of the case. In addition to the statutory offence mentioned above, it is a common law offence for any person, whether male or female, to engage in indecency with a boy under the age of 14, the consent of the boy being irrelevant. Such cases would be included under "homosexual acts" if committed by a man.

Criminal Injuries Compensation

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why it expects spending on criminal injuries compensation to remain at a constant level in real terms over the next four years, as referred to in Table 3.01 of Building a Better Scotland Spending Proposals 2005-2008 .

Cathy Jamieson: Under the terms of a Service Level Agreement with the Home Office, the Executive pays a percentage of the total UK cost of both compensation payments made under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme (CICS), and the administration costs of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority and Appeals Panel. That percentage is based on a rolling average of Scottish claims on the scheme over the previous three years. The exact percentage figure is, therefore, not known until the start of the payment year in question. Over recent years that figure has ranged between 11 and 13% and, in order to attempt to ensure there is no shortfall in what is a demand-led scheme, our spending proposals for 2005-08 reflects a maximum 13% of the Home Office baseline for the scheme for that period. CICS spending is currently under review and adjustments may be made to the baseline as appropriate in light of the outcome of the review.

Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to page 24 of Building a Better Scotland Spending Proposals 2005-2008 , under which section of Table 4.01 funding will be allocated for modernisation of the prosecution service, including additional capital expenditure on information communication technology and a major refurbishment of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s Glasgow office.

Colin Boyd QC: The additional funding for expenditure on information communication technology and the major refurbishment of the department’s Glasgow office has been allocated to the capital expenditure line in table 4.01. Further funding for the modernisation of the prosecution service has been allocated to Solemn, Summary and Non-Court business to reflect future modernisation measures arising from the implementation of the Bonomy reforms of the High Court as well as a range of alternatives to prosecution which will impact on Non-Court business.

Education

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many schoolchildren who are currently in the fifth year of secondary schools are, as a result of the cut-off date for eligibility for the Education Maintenance Allowance of 1 March 2004, excluded from the scheme and what the estimated cost is of including all such schoolchildren, broken down by local authority area.

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a ministerial statement on eligibility for the Education Maintenance Allowance programme.

Mr Jim Wallace: School census data for 2004-05 have not yet been collected. An estimate, based on numbers of pupils in S3 in 2002-03, suggests that approximately 1,200 school pupils are likely to fall into this group across Scotland. We estimate that the cost of extending Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) eligibility to this group would be approximately £1.8 million in the current financial year with full year costs of approximately £2.6 million in the financial year to March 2006. It is not possible accurately to break down this estimated figure by local authority.

  We have received a number of representations on extending eligibility for Education Maintenance Allowance payments to S5 pupils who were born before 1 March 1988 and who are still attending school. I understand the circumstances which have given rise to these representations, and therefore we have looked again at the eligibility criteria. After careful consideration we have decided that to do so, while it would address this anomaly, would introduce other anomalies and inequities which would be difficult to justify. It would also risk undermining the policy rationale on which EMAs are based: to encourage pupils from low income families to choose to stay on at school or college beyond the point where they reach their official school leaving date.

  Were we to extend eligibility to all 16-year-olds who entered S5 in August this year we would highlight the ineligibility of 16-year-olds who were in S5 year last year and, in particular, those whose birthdays fall between 1 October and the last day of February. The parents of these pupils might argue that their 16-year-old children should be eligible regardless of their year of study in the same way that the parents of pupils born before 1 March 1988 argue that their children in S5 should be eligible regardless of age. The only way to satisfy both positions would be to extend eligibility to all pupils regardless of age or year of study, which would mean rolling out the EMA programme to all pupils in the current academic year. This would have considerable financial implications.

  A distinctive feature of the EMA programme in Scotland is that it reflects the fact that we have two school leaving dates: at Christmas and at the end of the academic year. Pupils whose 16th birthday falls between 1 October and the last day of February are eligible to leave school at Christmas and will, therefore, be eligible to apply for EMA support from January rather than waiting until the start of the next academic year. Those students whose 16th birthday fell before 1 March 2004 were eligible to leave school at Christmas 2003 and, therefore, have already taken the decision to remain in post-compulsory education without the incentive of an EMA. Whilst their decision to remain in post-compulsory education is to be commended, the fact that the students had already made that decision without the incentive of an EMA suggests that we would not be justified in using public funds to extend EMA eligibility to this group.

  We have deliberately avoided linking EMA eligibility to year of study. The purpose of the scheme is to provide an incentive to pupils when they reach their official school leaving date and have to make the decision whether or not to stay on at school. The current eligibility criteria support that policy intention and funding is being provided on that basis. We do not, therefore, think that there is sufficient reason to change the eligibility criteria.

  It is inevitable when any new scheme is rolled out, that some will fall on the wrong side of the qualifying date. Whilst recognising their disappointment, I considered it fairer to adhere to a date for which there is a rational basis in terms of the policy objective of this scheme.

  The aim of the EMA programme is to increase participation and improve retention rates among young people from low income households. Evidence from the first Scottish EMA pilot, and from evaluation of the pilots in England, indicates that the programme is having just such an effect. For example, in East Ayrshire participation has been raised by nearly seven percentage points, the number of pupils leaving school at the Christmas leaving date has reduced and the number progressing to and completing S6 has increased.

Employment

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of those undertaking training with the skillseekers programme have successfully completed the programme since its inception.

Allan Wilson: Forty-three thousand, three hundred and eighty-eight individuals have completed the current Skillseekers programme since its inception.

Enterprise

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that adequate provision of incubator units is available to support the development of small businesses.

Mr Jim Wallace: Provision of incubator units is a matter for the Enterprise Networks. Historically, they have provided incubator space for start up companies where private sector developers have failed to do so. The Enterprise Networks have no remit to develop property on a speculative basis where this would cut across potential private sector investment, however, they do work with the private sector if opportunities to do so arise. There are a number of incubators available across Scotland specifically targeting the start up market but information on numbers, location, etc. is not held centrally.

Environment

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in encouraging the use of the coastal path network.

Lewis McDonald: Coastal path networks are local authority led initiatives. Recent years have seen growing efforts by many local authorities and partners to improve and provide local path networks where they are most required, partly in response to Scottish Natural Heritage’s Paths for All initiative. This has included the establishment of regional routes, such as the Fife Coastal Path, which has been actively promoted by the Fife Coast and Countryside Trust with maps, leaflets, distinctive way marking, guided walks, a newsletter and a dedicated website.

Fisheries

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions have taken place with the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency concerning the awarding of a contract for the construction of a fisheries protection vessel.

Ross Finnie: In the light of the recent Spending Review, I have agreed that the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency may invite tenders to replace the Fisheries Protection Vessels VIGILANT and NORNA.

Forestry Commission

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what area of land in Scotland is owned by the Forestry Commission.

Lewis Macdonald: The area of land owned by Scottish ministers and managed by Forestry Commission Scotland extends to 656,200 hectares (as recorded in Forest Facts & Figures, 2004, published on 30 September 2004).

Housing

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is in respect of making land owned by the state, including that owned by it, Her Majesty’s Government, the Crown Estate Commission, government departments and agencies, non-departmental public bodies and other public bodies, available for housing development.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to the Ministry of Defence about making land that it holds available for housing development.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether more use should have been made of publicly-owned land for the purpose of building more houses or enabling more houses to be built.

Malcolm Chisholm: In general, where public land is surplus to requirements, it can be sold on the open market in accordance with the public finance guidelines which would normally require it to be sold at market value. Local authorities can, however, seek consent to disposals at less than best consideration from Scottish ministers including disposals to provide land for affordable housing.

  We see potential for greater use of surplus public land for affordable housing and are keen to encourage public bodies to release such land for this purpose. Under the Affordable Housing Review, the Executive has been examining the scope for preferential schemes for land release by public bodies. In handling sales of surplus land, the Forestry Commission Scotland now provides a preferential opportunity for Registered Social Landlords, supported by Communities Scotland, to acquire its surplus land for affordable housing. Over 20 sites are currently being assessed for transfer. We are exploring the prospect of applying these principles to other public bodies, including those in the Health, Education, Transport and Environment sectors, and UK Government Departments, such as the Ministry of Defence.

Housing

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses have been (a) built and (b) renovated in each local authority area in the (i) private and (ii) social rented sector in each of the last five years.

Malcolm Chisholm: The tables provide the available information. For private sector dwellings, information is only available for improvements supported by Housing Improvement Grant. The information on improvements to local authority dwellings shows the number of dwellings in improvement projects funded from housing revenue accounts for which tenders were accepted in each year. Information is not held centrally on improvement/renovation of housing association dwellings in each local authority area. The total number of dwellings rehabilitated by housing associations from funding provided by the Scottish Executive in each of the past five years was as follows:

  

1999-2000
519


2000-01
309


2001-02
399


2002-03
442


2003-04
528



  New Houses Completed by the Private Sector.

  

Local Authority
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003


Aberdeen City
777
795
388
451
501


Aberdeenshire
1,179
988
1,201
1,161
1,319


Angus
252
254
308
364
316


Argyll and Bute
114
98
175
169
240


Clackmannanshire
122
128
160
206
332


Dumfries and Galloway
314
300
362
305
530


Dundee City
320
445
229
397
647


East Ayrshire
248
471
400
321
221


East Dunbartonshire
141
192
77
79
143


East Lothian
285
218
451
443
296


East Renfrewshire
431
345
204
270
114


Edinburgh, City of
2,434
1,142
1,953
1,164
1,390


Eilean Siar
57
59
48
97
92


Falkirk
478
598
757
724
1,085


Fife
1,620
1,259
1,094
1,619
1,714


Glasgow City
2,209
2,207
2,115
2,146
1,592


Highland
1,228
723
416
418
Not available


Inverclyde
195
172
164
244
222


Midlothian
288
221
167
115
165


Moray
200
290
298
447
316


North Ayrshire
319
330
375
379
328


North Lanarkshire
1,868
1,658
1,145
1,356
1,261


Orkney
25
31
49
77
62


Perth and Kinross
351
435
520
779
895


Renfrewshire
495
539
400
422
472


Scottish Borders, The
214
466
484
727
684


Shetland
48
210
66
78
61


South Ayrshire
362
278
341
206
324


South Lanarkshire
1,272
1,153
1,294
1,370
2,012


Stirling
352
366
337
511
286


West Dunbartonshire
99
299
421
198
202


West Lothian
1,104
1,335
1,217
1,219
1,148



  Source: NB2 Return.

  New Houses Completed by the Social Rented Sector.

  

Local Authority
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003


Aberdeen City
115
98
203
79
169


Aberdeenshire
226
116
176
199
211


Angus
119
110
67
167
43


Argyll and Bute
92
121
105
4
59


Clackmannanshire
29
59
0
72
28


Dumfries and Galloway
128
69
197
77
96


Dundee City
232
231
106
302
72


East Ayrshire
32
20
147
4
98


East Dunbartonshire
15
24
55
10
4


East Lothian
61
79
9
18
14


East Renfrewshire
84
126
41
0
30


Edinburgh, City of
568
521
545
511
156


Eilean Siar
1
11
14
22
13


Falkirk
73
14
97
68
34


Fife
410
176
186
335
194


Glasgow City
839
1,248
1,841
1,262
1,496


Highland
118
221
125
158
147


Inverclyde
93
248
119
141
101


Midlothian
64
4
52
12
31


Moray
30
30
26
33
2


North Ayrshire
105
67
76
69
83


North Lanarkshire
334
277
296
360
131


Orkney
14
29
52
44
24


Perth and Kinross
182
193
100
215
176


Renfrewshire
92
167
152
155
48


Scottish Borders, The
83
101
88
85
44


Shetland
56
14
22
14
1


South Ayrshire
68
61
64
131
74


South Lanarkshire
61
274
126
316
103


Stirling
79
83
62
106
84


West Dunbartonshire
162
92
263
182
136


West Lothian
207
105
162
20
90



  Source: Communities Scotland (HA data) and NB1 return (LA data).

  Private Sector Improvement Grants Receiving Final or Only Payment: (Dwellings)

  

Local Authority
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003


Aberdeen City
1,437
842
1,184
646
657


Aberdeenshire
113
73
112
112
80


Angus
254
234
245
274
295


Argyll and Bute
224
290
268
248
322


Clackmannanshire
129
92
150
130
139


Dumfries and Galloway
221
265
382
384
562


Dundee City
987
509
492
482
471


East Ayrshire
126
139
159
94
218


East Dunbartonshire
89
211
168
92
133


East Lothian
99
231
169
186
179


East Renfrewshire
123
97
97
63
186


Edinburgh, City of
639
1,090
918
983
873


Eilean Siar
446
529
527
385
273


Falkirk
195
218
132
216
233


Fife
183
152
92
110
108


Glasgow City
1,206
1,310
1,453
1,271
1,233


Highland
1,182
1,067
789
810
858


Inverclyde
237
49
80
93
121


Midlothian
6
24
32
81
33


Moray
117
111
88
48
60


North Ayrshire
191
154
202
197
224


North Lanarkshire
1,015
861
867
847
900


Orkney
335
200
274
121
74


Perth and Kinross
139
157
204
180
226


Renfrewshire
349
368
211
206
339


Scottish Borders, The
250
118
83
58
48


Shetland
23
76
230
163
115


South Ayrshire
138
178
207
150
196


South Lanarkshire
1,576
1,036
2,094
2,213
2,025


Stirling
237
271
121
204
145


West Dunbartonshire
365
156
147
280
268


West Lothian
191
225
237
429
384



  Source: IMP1A return

  Dwellings in Tenders Accepted for the Improvement and Rehabilitation of Local Authority Houses.

  

Local Authority
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003


Aberdeen City
29,370
22,457
6,905
14,948
16,852


Aberdeenshire
4,903
4,875
9,357
3,668
3,507


Angus
1,132
1,789
1,374
1,861
2,749


Argyll and Bute
872
888
936
712
479


Clackmannanshire
1,790
790
922
420
145


Dumfries and Galloway
83
307
1,619
984
0


Dundee City
3,433
4,008
5,143
3,210
3,038


East Ayrshire
2,767
2,848
1,584
1,050
1,168


East Dunbartonshire
0
0
492
492
0


East Lothian
0
0
0
0
3,259


East Renfrewshire
339
986
442
1,217
1,294


Edinburgh, City of
6,546
5,544
3,529
3,966
3,630


Eilean Siar
263
123
141
122
113


Falkirk
0
4,238
3,781
5,715
9,947


Fife
4,069
3,532
2,302
1,976
1,688


Glasgow City
5,671
8,462
0
46
0


Highland
0
3,081
10,129
13,076
11,468


Inverclyde
1,011
1,382
1,486
455
957


Midlothian
2,207
978
8,830
1,490
1,300


Moray
2,317
2,081
2,200
1,602
1,321


North Ayrshire
2,030
1,188
1,764
1,111
1,009


North Lanarkshire
6,890
2,089
5,083
7,798
6,128


Orkney
107
136
158
80
150


Perth and Kinross
528
3,626
1,197
1,468
441


Renfrewshire
3,046
3,253
1,173
8,262
3,684


Scottish Borders, The
823
753
727
51,164
0


Shetland
134
66
218
46
0


South Ayrshire
1,322
1,797
1,746
8,423
3,293


South Lanarkshire
2,136
1,275
3,929
5,871
3,840


Stirling
993
1,027
696
638
530


West Dunbartonshire
4,994
5,303
9,439
1,253
2,219


West Lothian
1,150
1,175
1,580
1,480
1,769



  Source: IMP5 return.

Housing

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses are projected to be (a) built and (b) renovated in each local authority area in the (i) private and (ii) social rented sector in the next five years.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive does not hold or compile projections of new building or renovation for the private sector. The table shows the planned number of approvals for new and improved houses for social rent or low cost home ownership funded by the Executive for the next four years for Scotland as a whole.

  

2004-05
5,350


2005-06
6,400


2006-07
7,100


2007-08
8,000



  For details of how many houses the Scottish Executive are projecting to fund for construction in each local authority area in 2004-05, I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-7226 on 20 April 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

  Specific programme details for 2005-06 to 2007-08 will be developed in the year preceding each target.

  As part of their Local Housing Strategies, local authorities have been asked to provide, by April 2005 plans to the Scottish Executive showing how they will achieve the Scottish Housing Quality Standard by 2015. These should provide information on planned new building and renovation.

Housing

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which sites available on the open market are potentially available for housing development and, of these, which are earmarked for affordable housing, and which sites, out of the total number available for housing development, cannot be developed because of drainage constraints, broken down by (a) parliamentary constituency and (b) local authority area.

Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held by the Scottish Executive. Scottish Planning Policy 3: Planning for Housing  looks to individual local authorities to estimate the requirement for future housing land and through their local plans ensure that there is sufficient effective land for at least five years at all times. Structure plans should in addition set out a strategy for the location of new housing over a period of at least 12 years. The Executive is working with the local authorities and Scottish Water to better understand the implications for new housing and other development arising from drainage constraints.

Justice

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been allocated for the training of prosecutors in dealing with environmental and wildlife crime in each year since 1999.

Colin Boyd QC: Procurators Fiscal are provided with the necessary training and development opportunities to enable them to carry out their wide range of duties, including appropriate training on dealing with environmental crime. It has not proved possible to disaggregate training expenditure to the specific quantification of environmental training which has often been covered as part of wider training initiatives, but in order to achieve our Partnership Commitment we will continue to focus resources to train prosecutors in dealing with environmental and wildlife crime.

Livestock

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to ensure that consumers are informed about whether beef sold as Aberdeen Angus is produced in Scotland.

Ross Finnie: The designation Aberdeen Angus refers to a breed rather than a country or place of origin. The Executive is considering whether to take up, in Scotland, the voluntary provisions in EU legislation permitting member states to require country of origin labelling.

Livestock

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce an interim measure prior to consultation on a permanent replacement for the Livestock Improvement Scheme to reassure crofters that there will be continuity of beef cattle production.

Lewis Macdonald: On 28 September 2004 my predecessor Allan Wilson announced the detailed arrangements for an interim scheme to provide grants and access to bull hire from the stud farm, to enable crofters to plan for the forthcoming season.

  The relevant news release can be found at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2004/09/28112646.

Prisoner Escorts

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-8442 by Cathy Jamieson on 8 June 2004, whether the tender documents are being withheld under section 7 or 13 of part 2 of Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executive Information .

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  It is being held under both section 7 and 13. A copy of the code of practice can be found on the Scottish Executive website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk.

Protection from Abuse (Scotland) Act 2001

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many actions have been raised under the Protection from Abuse (Scotland) Act 2001 in each year since it came into force, broken down by sheriff court.

Cathy Jamieson: Data relating to the number of actions under the Protection from Abuse (Scotland) Act 2001 are not collected centrally. Top-line information is collected and published annually in Civil Judicial Statistics. The latest version can be viewed on the Executive website at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/justice/cjs02-00.asp.

  The Executive is currently reviewing the way the Justice Department collects and provides information and statistics about the civil justice system. A consultation document has been issued. It is available on the Scottish Executive website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/view/views.asp. Closing date for responses is 17 December 2004.

  In 2003 the Scottish Executive conducted an evaluation of the 2001 act. The findings have been published on the Executive website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/cru/resfinds/lsf41-00.asp.

Renewable Energy

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what calculations have been carried out of any anticipated constraints for the renewable energy industry as a result of limitations of the existing national grid.

Mr Jim Wallace: The report published in June 2003 by the Transmission   Issues   Working   Group (TIWG),   comprising   Scottish Power, Scottish and Southern Energy, National Grid Transco , DTI, the Scottish Executive, the Welsh Assembly Government and Ofgem, established clearly that the existing grid requires significant strengthening and modification if our renewables potential is to be fully exploited .  The report is available at:

  http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/renewables/technologies/tiwgreport.pdf.

  The TIWG continues to meet regularly to monitor and discuss progress.

Renewable Energy

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to make changes to the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) scheme; what changes it expects to make, and what changes are currently being considered.

Mr Jim Wallace: We are currently consulting on changes to the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) which will extend the levels of the obligation until 2015-16, create a UK market in Renewable Obligation Certificates, secure the buy-out fund and allow greater flexibility for smaller generators. Subject to that consultation, we plan to introduce any resulting changes in April 2005.

  We have also completed a short consultation looking at the terms of reference for a fundamental review of the obligation which will take place next year. This will consider the impact of the obligation so far, its profile beyond 2015-16, the interface between the obligation and the Emissions Trading Scheme and possible measures to support heat and other technologies. We would intend to introduce any changes arising from the review, following full consultation, in April 2006.

Renewable Energy

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-9867 by Lewis Macdonald on 30 August 2004, how much (a) Highlands and Islands Enterprise, (b) Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, (c) Scottish Enterprise Borders, (d) Scottish Enterprise Energy Team, (e) Scottish Enterprise Lanarkshire, (f) Scottish Natural Heritage and (g) South West Scotland Energy Efficiency Advice Centre pay in subscription annually for membership of the Scottish Renewables Forum.

Mr Jim Wallace: This is a matter for the Scottish Renewables Forum, which is a membership organisation independent of the Scottish Executive. The information requested is not held centrally.

Research

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-10264 by Allan Wilson on 17 September 2004, whether it considers research carried out at the Hannah Institute on the control of cell fate by endocrine and local factors, the enzymology of liver and adipose metabolism, the interplay between insulin resistance and the insulin-like growth factor system in the etiology of metabolic diseases and in the development of science and technology platforms for the food industry to be of a high quality.

Lewis Macdonald: The Research Organisation Assessment Exercise was undertaken last year to assess the overall performance of all the Research Institutes funded by Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department. The visiting group carrying out the assessment of the Hannah Research Institute assessed the overall quality of science undertaken there as good but with room for improvement.

Road Accidents

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many road traffic (a) fatalities and (b) injuries there (i) were in each of the last three years and (ii) have been so far this year, broken down by (1) police force area and (2) parliamentary region, expressed also as a percentage of all road traffic accidents and detailing year-on-year percentage changes.

Nicol Stephen: Figures on the numbers of road accident fatalities and injuries by police force area are published regularly in "Key Road Accident Statistics" and "Road Accidents Scotland". These figures, together with the other information requested, are given in the following tables. They relate only to accidents that were reported to the police. The figures for the first quarter of 2004 are provisional. Figures for the second quarter will become available in November. Percentage changes are not given for quarterly figures, because of the small numbers involved.

  Casualties by Police Force Area and Parliamentary Region1, 2001 to 2004 1st Quarter

  Fatalities by Police Force Area

  

Police Force Area
2001
2002
2003
Jan-Mar 2004
(Provisional)


Northern
39
27
36
7


Grampian
50
49
50
12


Tayside
50
27
36
6


Fife
21
29
18
7


Lothian and Borders
41
38
45
8


Central
17
24
20
4


Strathclyde
117
92
116
24


Dumfries and Galloway
13
18
10
1


Scotland
348
304
331
69



  

Percentage of Total
2001
2002
2003
Jan-Mar 2004
(Provisional)


Northern
11.2
8.9
10.9
10.1


Grampian
14.4
16.1
15.1
17.4


Tayside
14.4
8.9
10.9
8.7


Fife
6.0
9.5
5.4
10.1


Lothian and Borders
11.8
12.5
13.6
11.6


Central
4.9
7.9
6.0
5.8


Strathclyde
33.6
30.3
35.0
34.8


Dumfries and Galloway
3.7
5.9
3.0
1.4


Scotland
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0



  

Percentage Change Over Previous Year
2001
2002
2003


Northern
-9.3
-30.8
33.3


Grampian
-5.7
-2.0
2.0


Tayside
117.4
-46.0
33.3


Fife
75.0
38.1
-37.9


Lothian and Borders
-28.1
-7.3
18.4


Central
-5.6
41.2
-16.7


Strathclyde
10.4
-21.4
26.1


Dumfries and Galloway
-7.1
38.5
-44.4


Scotland
6.7
-12.6
8.9



  Fatalities by Parliamentary Region

  

Parliamentary Region1
2001
2002
2003
Jan-Mar 2004
(Provisional)


Highlands and Islands
53
38
48
6


North East Scotland
61
50
53
15


Mid Scotland and Fife
64
58
59
12


West Scotland
29
19
33
6


Central Scotland
32
40
34
8


Lothian
30
22
24
5


South Scotland
47
63
60
12


Glasgow
23
14
18
4


Not Known2
9
0
2
1


Scotland
348
304
331
69



  

Percentage of Total
2001
2002
2003
Jan-Mar 2004
(Provisional)


Highlands and Islands
15.2
12.5
14.5
8.7


North East Scotland
17.5
16.4
16.0
21.7


Mid Scotland and Fife
18.4
19.1
17.8
17.4


West Scotland
8.3
6.3
10.0
8.7


Central Scotland
9.2
13.2
10.3
11.6


Lothian
8.6
7.2
7.3
7.2


South Scotland
13.5
20.7
18.1
17.4


Glasgow
6.6
4.6
5.4
5.8


Not known2
2.6
0.0
0.6
1.4


Scotland
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0



  

Percentage Change Over Previous Year
2001
2002
2003


Highlands and Islands
-10.2
-28.3
26.3


North East Scotland
24.5
-18.0
6.0


Mid Scotland and Fife
64.1
-9.4
1.7


West Scotland
-12.1
-34.5
73.7


Central Scotland
45.5
25.0
-15.0


Lothian
3.4
-26.7
9.1


South Scotland
-16.1
34.0
-4.8


Glasgow
-8.0
-39.1
28.6


Not Known2
n/a
n/a
n/a


Scotland
6.7
-12.6
8.9



  Non-Fatal Injuries by Police Force Area

  

Police Force Area
2001
2002
2003
Jan-Mar 2004
(Provisional)


Northern
 1,205
 1,081
 1,176 
 225 


Grampian
 1,554
 1,488
 1,418 
 305 


Tayside
 1,640
 1,556
 1,362 
 298 


Fife
 991
 1,051
 982 
 242 


Lothian and Borders
 4,059
 3,885
 3,598 
 843 


Central
 842
 964
 1,027 
 188 


Strathclyde
 8,705
 8,359
 8,252 
 1,826 


Dumfries and Galloway
 565
 569
 574 
 128 


Scotland
19,561
18,953
 18,389 
 4,055 



  

Percentage of Total
2001
2002
2003
Jan-Mar 2004
(Provisional)


Northern
6.2
5.7
6.4
5.5


Grampian
7.9
7.9
7.7
7.5


Tayside
8.4
8.2
7.4
7.3


Fife
5.1
5.5
5.3
6.0


Lothian and Borders
20.8
20.5
19.6
20.8


Central
4.3
5.1
5.6
4.6


Strathclyde
44.5
44.1
44.9
45.0


Dumfries and Galloway
2.9
3.0
3.1
3.2


Scotland
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0



  

Percentage Change Over Previous Year
2001
2002
2003


Northern
4.8
-10.3
8.8


Grampian
-2.8
-4.2
-4.7


Tayside
7.1
-5.1
-12.5


Fife
-6.9
6.1
-6.6


Lothian and Borders
-6.4
-4.3
-7.4


Central
-8.3
14.5
6.5


Strathclyde
-3.0
-4.0
-1.3


Dumfries and Galloway
-6.9
0.7
0.9


Scotland
-3.0
-3.1
-3.0



  Non-Fatal Injuries by Parliamentary Region

  

Parliamentary Region1
2001
2002
2003
Jan-Mar 2004
(Provisional)


Highlands and Islands
 1,578
 1,517
 1,712 
 304 


North East Scotland
 2,086
 2,124
 1,835 
 371 


Mid Scotland and Fife
 2,310
 2,284
 2,246 
 506 


West Scotland
 2,094
 2,037
 2,143 
 440 


Central Scotland
 2,555
 2,389
 2,351 
 508 


Lothian
 3,145
 2,930
 2,709 
 639 


South Scotland
 2,664
 2,764
 2,606 
 586 


Glasgow
 2,901
 2,812
 2,717 
 662 


Not Known2
 228
 96
 70 
 39 


Scotland
19,561
18,953
 18,389 
 4,055 



  

Percentage
of Total
2001
2002
2003
Jan-Mar 2004
(Provisional)


Highlands and Islands
8.1
8.0
9.3
7.5


North East Scotland
10.7
11.2
10.0
9.1


Mid Scotland and Fife
11.8
12.1
12.2
12.5


West Scotland
10.7
10.7
11.7
10.9


Central Scotland
13.1
12.6
12.8
12.5


Lothian
16.1
15.5
14.7
15.8


South Scotland
13.6
14.6
14.2
14.5


Glasgow
14.8
14.8
14.8
16.3


Not known 2
1.2
0.5
0.4
1.0


Scotland
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0



  

 Percent Change Over Previous Year
2001
2002
2003


Highlands and Islands
1.4
-3.9
12.9


North East Scotland
1.0
1.8
-13.6


Mid Scotland and Fife
-0.1
-1.1
-1.7


West Scotland
-9.2
-2.7
5.2


Central Scotland
-3.4
-6.5
-1.6


Lothian
-4.8
-6.8
-7.5


South Scotland
-4.1
3.8
-5.7


Glasgow
0.4
-3.1
-3.4


Not Known2
n/a
n/a
n/a


Scotland
-3.0
-3.1
-3.0



  Notes:

  1. Figures for parliamentary regions are approximate as the road accident statistics system was not designed to provide figures for these areas. They are based on information collected and reported by the Police, and do not take account of any subsequent changes to the statistical information about locations of the accidents that local authorities may have made, based on their knowledge of the roads and areas concerned.

  2. In a small number of cases the information provided about the grid co-ordinates of the location of the accident is insufficient to identify the parliamentary constituency in which an accident occurred.

Scottish Natural Heritage

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to seek a debate on the conclusions of the strategic review of Scottish Natural Heritage in the Parliament before such conclusions are implemented.

Lewis Macdonald: It is standard practice for the outcome of such reviews to be reported to Parliament in advance of any action being taken to implement recommendations emerging from the review.

Tourism

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many providers of tourism accommodation there are, broken down by area tourist board and local authority area.

Ms Patricia Ferguson: This information is not available, since a small proportion of accommodation providers are not members of their area tourist boards, neither do they participate in VisitScotland’s Quality Assurance scheme.

Tourism

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many providers of tourism accommodation are members of VisitScotland’s quality assurance scheme, broken down by area tourist board and local authority area.

Ms Patricia Ferguson: The number of tourism accommodation providers which participate in VisitScotland’s Quality Assurance scheme are shown in the table. Information on the number of tourism accommodation providers by local authority area is not available.

  

Area Tourist Board
Number of Accommodation Providers


Aberdeen and Grampian
630


Angus and Dundee
177


Argyll, the Isles, Loch Lomond, Stirling and the Trossachs
1,378


Ayrshire and Arran
475


Dumfries and Galloway
564


Edinburgh and Lothians
804


Greater Glasgow and Clyde Valley
276


Highlands of Scotland
1,702


Kingdom of Fife
436


Orkney
239


Perthshire
569


Scottish Borders
344


Shetland
124


Western Isles
308


Total
8,026

Tourism

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the conclusions of VisitScotland’s survey, Investigation into the Potential Impact of Wind Farms on Tourism in Scotland - Final Report .

Ms Patricia Ferguson: As part of our commitment to address climate change, the Scottish Executive has set targets for the production of more electricity from renewable sources. It is expected that wind energy will play a significant part in achieving those targets. There are around 15 windfarms operating across Scotland, and that number might be expected to double in the next five years as developers respond to the Executive’s policy commitment.

  The Executive considers that, at the existing level of development, the impact of windfarms on tourism in Scotland is relatively minor. Indeed, there is evidence that renewable energy development is seen by at least some visitors as evidence that Scotland is an environmentally friendly country which takes its climate change obligations seriously. However, we do understand the importance of tourism to the rural economy and, through VisitScotland, we are fully committed to the promotion of rural tourism. That is why, with an increasing number of proposed windfarm developments and planning applications in the pipeline, we encourage developers of new windfarms to consult widely on their proposals with local communities, including community councils and other local interest as specified under Section 36 of the 1989 Electricity Act.

Waste Management

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, within the relevant rules regarding sewerage for new homes, such sewerage may be provided by septic tanks; what relevant legislative provisions apply to the provision of sewerage for new homes by septic tank, and what its policy is on this matter.

Ross Finnie: I can confirm that sewerage for new homes can be provided by septic tanks provided the arrangement results in no deterioration in water quality, as specified in the Water Environment and Water Services Act 2003. Before granting planning permission for the building of the new houses, the planning authority will, if appropriate, seek the views of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), who are responsible for ensuring that relevant environmental standards are met. In relation to the relevant legislative provisions, the position is as follows:

  The Water Environment and Water Services Act 2003 implements the European Water Framework Directive and places upon SEPA and Scottish ministers a duty to prevent further deterioration in the water environment.

  Under the terms of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 (as amended) SEPA’s consent is required for a discharge of sewage effluent to controlled waters. Discharges to soakaway arrangements do not automatically require SEPA’s consent.

  The Urban Waste Water Treatment (Scotland) Regulations 1994 require that urban wastewater entering collecting systems is subject to prescribed standards of treatment. The specified date for provision of treatment and the standard of treatment are determined according to the size of the agglomeration and the sensitivity of the receiving waters.

Wildlife

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive in which special areas of conservation the harbour porpoise has been designated as a protected species and at what level of protection.

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to protect harbour porpoises in special areas of conservation in accordance with its responsibilities under the Habitats Directive.

Lewis Macdonald: There are no candidate Special Areas of Conservation (cSACs) for harbour porpoise within Scottish waters.

  The Habitats Directive states that sites for wide-ranging aquatic species will be proposed only where there is a "clearly identifiable area representing the physical and biological factors essential for their life and reproduction". At this time no such areas have been identified for harbour porpoise in Scottish waters, but this position will be kept under review.